


A Woman Unhinged

by sakurakyouko



Category: Hamlet - All Media Types, Hamlet - Shakespeare
Genre: Character Study, Drowning, Gen, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22097911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakurakyouko/pseuds/sakurakyouko
Summary: Ophelia does not wade gently into the stream. This Ophelia swims.Or, a short story of survival.
Kudos: 15





	A Woman Unhinged

**Author's Note:**

> warnings: graphic suicide attempt, graphic description of drowning, possible emetophobia

Ophelia does not wade gently into the stream. She does not perish placidly beneath the rushing water, surrounded by idyllic white poppies for her eternal rest. She propels herself forward with vicious intent, stumbling on the bank in her haste and wetting the bottom of her skirts. The decision is made, but there is no grace in it. She throws herself into the water with a prejudice, and a resounding splash echoes out through the trees as she goes under.

She does not close her eyes, almost as if going to sleep, and drift away into a beautiful, blissful oblivion. Involuntarily, Ophelia heaves in a lungful of water and pond scum and she chokes on it-- an ugly sound, to be sure. Her eyes sting with tears. She thrashes wildly as blind survival instinct takes over: fight, or flight? Sink, or swim?

This Ophelia swims. She sits up and resurfaces, gasping for air and hacking up water. Her hair is plastered all across her face in undignified clumps, her pale eyes are still streaming with tears, and her typically delicate, lightweight dress is weighing her down. She is thoroughly waterlogged, resembling much more a drowned rat than a young lady of her standing. Is this what grief and rage has reduced her to?

With some effort, she rises to her feet unsteadily, flexing her toes in the mud in a way she hasn’t been allowed since she was just a child, and she drags herself onto the bank beside the stream. She collapses onto the grass, coughing wetly. Discouraged and demoralized, she may be, but for it she will live to see another day. She will not let death turn her into a pawn in someone else’s game.

**Author's Note:**

> it's like 2:30 in the morning and i was just thinking like. suicide isn't glamorous and drowning is scary send tweet. wanted to write something about good old ophelia, but it is very late/early so i'm not sure how well it's turned out!


End file.
